Garment supporting means



June 7, 1966 WEIR ET AL GARMENT SUPPORTING MEANS Filed May 24, 1963 United States Patent 3,254,814 GARMENT SUPPORTING MEANS Donald G. Weir, 1682 254th St., Harbor City, Cahfi, and John Le Roy Luke, Torrance, Calif.; said Luke asslguor to said Weir Filed May 24, 1963, Ser. No. 282,911 2 Claims. (Cl. 22389) The present invention relates to an improved coat hanger assembly for supporting garments; and it relates more particularly to an improved, retractable coat hanger which may be readily carried about in the pocket or purse when not in use.

Coat hangers have remained substantially unchanged for many years. Such hangers, for the most part, have consisted either of a wire-formed structure, or of one formed of a combination of wire and wood.

The prior art coat hanger, because of its size and configuration, is most awkward to pack and to carry from place to place. Because of this, travelers usually hope that hangers will be provided at their destination, or in their means of conveyance. However, this hope is often unfulfilled.

The present invention provides a simple, retractable type of coat hanger which can be compacted into an exceedingly small size. The improved coat hanger of the invention is light, so that it can be readily carried on the person. Likewise, the shape, size and weight of the coat hanger of the invention permits as many as desired to be packed when a person is embarking,'for example, on a trip.

The improved configuration, shape and size of the coat hanger of the present invention permits one tohave it readily available at all times. This means that even when moving around locally, a person can always have an adequate coat hanger available, should he wish to hang up his jacket, or the like. Moreover, when on a trip, the traveler is always assured of having coat hangers available on the ship or train, or .in his automobile. Also,

the traveler may easily carry an adequate supply of the coat hangers of the invention for use at his destination.

An object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide an improved coat hanger which, when not in use, can be compressed into a small package of a convenient size, shape and weight, so. as to be easily carried in the pocket, purse, handbag, or the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide such an improved coat hanger which can be manufactured at a relatively low. cost and sold at a relatively low price.

A feature of the invention is the provision of such an improved coat hanger which includes retractable arms which enablethe hanger to be reduced to a small size, and which also serve, as will be described, to adapt the hanger for support of garments of a wide variety of sizes, for children and adults.

Therefore, although the coat hanger of the present invention has particular utility in traveling, and for use in trains, ships, hotels, and the like, in that it can be easily packed; the invention, as mentioned above, is also suitable for everyday use in motor vehicles, and the like, in that it can be conveniently carried in the purse or pocket.

The features of the invention which are believed to be new are set forth in the claims. The invention itself, however, together with further objects and advantages, may best be understood by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevationalview, partly in section, showing an improved coat hanger, constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, and in a retracted compact position;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the coat hanger of FIGURE 1, with the various elements of the coat 3,254,814 Patented June 7, 1966 'ice hanger in their fully extended position, and ready to perform their intended functions;

FIGURE 3 is an end view of the coat hanger of FIG- URE 2, taken substantially on the line 33 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of the coat hanger of FIGURE 2, taken along the line 44 of FIGURE 2, and showing the manner in which the two portions of the body member of the assembly may be held together;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of the coat hanger, similar to the view of FIGURE 1, partly in section and showing the engagement of the retractable arms when in an extended position; and

FIGURE 6 shows, on a reduced scale, a simplified version of the coat hanger of the invention.

The improved coat hanger of the present invention in-- cludes, in the illustrated embodiment, a body portion 10. The body portion 10 may be formed of a suitable plastic, such as nylon; or it may be formed of wood, metal, or any other appropriate material.

When the body-portion 10 is formed, it may conveniently be made in two adjacent parts, designated 10a and 10b-in FIGURE 3. These parts are held together by an appropriate adhesive, with guide pins 12 being provided in the part 10b, as shown in FIGURE 4. These guide pins, in the part 10b, mate with corresponding apertures in the part 10a, as shown in FIGURE 4.

A book 14 for hanging the assembly is pivotally -mounted on a pin 16 which, in turn, is mounted on a boss 18. The boss is formed on the top edge of the body member 10. As shown in FIGURE 1, the hook 14 may be pivoted down into'a position in which it substantially embraces the body member 10, when the coat hanger is not in use, and is intended to be carried about in the pocket, purse, or other receptacle. Then, when the hanger is ready for use, the book 14 may be pivoted to its extended position, as shown in FIGURE 2.

The ends of the body member 10 include respective apertures, and these extend into corresponding channels 20 and 22 in its interior. As best shown in FIGURE 1, the channels extend at an inclination to the lower edge of the body member, and they are essentially disposed in spaced and parallel relationship.

A first pair of telescopically positioned retractable arms 24 and 26 is positioned in the channel 22. A second pair of telescopically positioned arms 28 and 30 is positioned in the channel 20. The arms may be formed of metal, for example, or they may be constituted of a rigid plastic material, such as nylon.

Conversely, the outer arms 26 and 30, for example, may be constituted of metal and the inner arms 24 and 28 may be'formed of nylon, or vice versa. As an alternative, the arms may be of the rolled metallic type, such as used in motor vehicle radio antennas.

The arms 28 and 30 may be moved from a fully retracted position within the channel 20, as shown in FIGURE 1, to a partially or fully extended position, as shown in FIGURE 2. Likewise, the arms 24 and 26 may be moved from a fully retracted position in the channel 22,- as shown in FIGURE 1, to a partially or fully extended position, as shown in FIGURE 2.

When the arms 28, 30 and 24, 26 are in their retracted position, and the hook 14 is turned down, the assembly has a compact size and may be readily carried about. The arms may be extended to any desired extent, when the hanger is to be used, so as to suit the size of the garment to be suspended from the hanger.

A bead-like member 32 may be mounted on the outer end of the arm 30, and a similar bead-like member 34 may be mounted on the outer end of the arm 24. These bead-like members may be conveniently formed of an appropriate plastic material. They serve as a convenient means for permitting the user to grasp the ends of the arms 26 and 30, and to move the arms between their retracted and extended position.

The arm 28 has a head 38 formed on its inner extremity. This head limits the outer extension of the arm, as the head engages the ends of the outer tubular arm 30, which is turned over. Likewise, the tubular arm 30 has a head 39 which engages a shoulder at the end of the channel 20 in the body to limit the extension of the latter arm.

An appropriate O-ring 40 may be mounted adjacent the head 39, as shown in FIGURES 1 and 5. Likewise, the arm 24 may include a head 46 at its inner end, and the arm 26 may include a head 48. An O-ring 50 is mounted adjacent the head 48.

The embodiment shown in FIGURES 1-5 also includes a slidable bracket 60 for supporting trousers, skirts, and the like. The slida'ble bracket 60 includes a first rectangular-shaped portion 60a which extends into a channel 62 in the lower portion of the body member 10, and it also includes a second rectangular-shaped portion 60b which also extends into the additional channel from the other end of the body member.

The portions 60a and 60b are slidable in the body member 10 towards and from one another from a retracted position, as shown in FIGURE 1, to the fully extended postion of FIGURE 2. A nylon cord 64, attached to the ends of the bracket 60a and 60b together, serves to limit the outwardly extended position of the two brackets. A thin spacer member 66 is mounted in the channel 62 to separate the portion 60a and 60b of the bracket, 60.

It is evident, that the bracket 60 forms a convenient support for trousers, skirts, or the like, when it is in its fully extended position, as shown in FIGURE 2. Also, the bracket 60 can be retracted to the position of FIG- URE 1 in which it closely conforms to the size of the body portion.

The hanger of FIGURE 6 is similar to the hanger described above, and is shown on a reduced scale. In the latter hanger, similar components have been designated by the same numeral numerals. The hanger of FIGURE 6 is a simpler embodiment which does not incorporate the bracket 60.

The invention provides, therefore, an improved assembly which functions as a convenient coat hanger, and the like. The improved assembly of the invention is particularly advantageous in that it is light, and in that it can be retracted to a relatively small size of a convenient shape to enable the assembly to be easily carried from place to place.

While particular embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, modifications may be made. It is intended in the claims to cover all modifications which fall within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An assembly for supporting garments, and the like, including: a central block-like body member having a pair of ends with apertures therein extending as respective first and second channels into the interior of said body member and further have an additional channel formed therein; a first pair of telescopically positioned rod-like arm-s mounted in one of said first and second channels; a second pair of telescopically positioned rodlike arms mounted in the other of said first and second channels, the arms of each of said pairs being adapted to be moved between a fully retracted position within the respective first and second channels and a fully extended position in which the arms of said pairs protrude outwardly from said body member in essentially aligned positions; and first and second trouser supporting means slidably mounted in said additional channel to be extended from opposite sides of said body member.

2. An assembly for suplporting garments, and the like, including: a central blocklike body member having a pair of ends with apertures therein extending as respective first and second channels into the interior of said body member and further having an additional channel formed therein; a first pair of telescopically positioned rod-like arms mounted in one of said first and second channels; a second pair of telescopically positioned rod like arms mounted in the other of said first and second channels, the arms of each of said pairs being adapted to be moved between a fully retracted position within the respective first and second channels and a fully extended position in which the arms otE both of said pairs protrude outwardly from said body member in essentially aligned positions; a hook-shaped supporting means pivotally mounted on said body member; and first and second trouser supporting means slidably mounted in said additional channel to be extended firom the opposite ends of said body member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 71,136 11/ 1-867 Clemence 22394 478,062 6/1892 Laubin 223-89 1,114,294 10/ 1914 Routstone 22389, 2,527,312 '10/ 1950 Kenworthy 22389 2,777,619 1/1957- Cook 223-90 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,033,501 4/ 1953 France.

406,492 1/1 9110 France.

43 7,663 1 1/ 1926 Germany.

158,783 2/ 1933 Switzerland.

JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

G. H. KRIZMANICH, Assistant Examiner. 

1. AN ASSEMBLY FOR SUPPORTING GARMENTS, AND THE LIKE, INCLUDING: A CENTRAL BLOCK-LIKE BODY MEMBER HAVING A PAIR OF ENDS WITH APERTURES THEREIN EXTENDING AS RESPECTTIVE FIRST AND SECOND CHANNELS INTO THE INTERIOR OF SAID BODY MEMBER AND FURTHER HAVE AN ADDITIONAL CHANNEL FORMED THEREIN; A FIRST PAIR OF TELESCOPICALLY POSITIONED ROD-LIKE ARMS MOUNTED IN ONE OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND CHANNELS; A SECOND PAIR OF TELESCPOICALLY POSITIONED RODLIKE ARMS MOUNTED IN THE OTHER OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND CHANNELS, THE ARMS OF EACH OF SAID PAIRS BEING ADAPTED TO BE MOVED BETWEEN A FULLY RETRACTED POSITION WITHIN THE RESPECTIVE FIRST AND SECOND CHANNELS AND A FULLY EXTENDED POSITION IN WHICH THE ARMS OF SAID PAIRS PROTRUDE OUTWARDLY FROM SAID BODY MEMBER IN ESSENTIALLY ALIGNED POSITIONS; AND FIRST AND SECOND TROUSER SUPPORTING MEANS SLIDABLY MOUNTED IN SAID ADDITIONAL CHANNEL TO BE EXTENDED FROM OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID BODY MEMBER. 